A Feudal Fairy tale Retold
by SugarDropSomeArt
Summary: What if Kagome found Sesshomaru pinned to the tree instead of Inuyasha? This is their journey.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

The smell of blood and embers burned his nose and twisted his already tumultuous belly. He had to get there in time. He _had_ to! He couldn't let yet another of his kin be brought down by a human woman. He had warned the boy on multiple occasions about coexisting with the human- a miko at that! But the fool merely waved his warnings off. Powerful legs carried him as quickly as his muscles would take him. He was closing in fast, he could smell his brother's mixed blood. The trees zipped past him in a blur as scarlet red and snow white came in to view.

The whelp was running from something; Sesshomaru could sense the power of the jewel that his brother carried clutched in his claws. He could also see the arrow trained on his younger brother's fleeing form. Suddenly that damnable woman's voice cut through the air, clear and filled with vicious fury, and malice.

" _Die, Inuyasha!_ " The arrow was let loose. The hanyou froze at the sound of his name! _The fool!_ With a final burst of youkai, Sesshomaru propelled himself forward, slamming his larger frame into his brother's, throwing him out of the path of the flying arrow. But there was no time for him, he felt the sharp pain as the arrow pierced his chest, clean through his bone armor. He felt the tip tear through muscle and organ, grazing bone before exiting his back and embedding itself into the tree behind him with a jolt. The rough bark scraped his skin through his kimono. _No!_ _He could not be bested by a human, not like this!_ As he watched the miko wobble closer to him through blurry eyes, he tried to summon the last of his energy to slaughter the wretch once and for all. But it would not be. His energy was gone, sealed away by the magic slowly overtaking his body. Darkness was creeping in from the corners of his vision. There was nothing that he could do.

He would die here and there was nothing that he could _do_! His arm, that he had outstretched toward her, dropped heavily to his side as the darkness overtook him. The sounds around him slowly faded to muddled murmurs, then nothing…

Inuyasha watched in morbid terror as his older brother slowly lost consciousness and faded before his very eyes. Kikyo's arrow had done that to a fully fledged youkai like Sesshomaru. He looked to the woman he had come to love as she limped over to him, still holding her bow. His throat felt like it had swollen shut, he could barely speak as she trained yet another arrow on him.

"Kikyo...You...I thought…." He wheezed out, his tongue felt like a stone in his mouth. The miko pulled the bowstring taut, her cold brown glare piercing his heart like a blade.

"Get out of here, Inuyasha. I never want to see filth like you ever again." Her words dragged the blade in his heart down to his belly. He felt the jewel slip from his limp grasp before he began to back away from the scene; one step, then another, then another before he whirled around and broke into a sprint, running from the clearing as fast as his muscles would take him.

Kikyo stumbled to the fallen jewel, her bow dropping from her grasp as she gripped her wounded shoulder. She dropped to her knees in front of the cursed thing, grasping it in her pale hand.

"Sister Kikyo!" She looked up at the sound of her younger sister's voice, "What happened to you?!"

The older miko could hardly muster a smile for the child through the haze of pain and blood loss. "Kaede….I'm not long for this world." She drew in another shaky breath before continuing, "Here. Take the Shikon No Tama. Burn it with my body." She gasped, death's cold grasp clutching her weakened heart.

"It cannot get into the wrong hands…" She felt her body begin to fall, heard the shrill cry of her name as she was consumed by the darkness….

~~ Tokyo 1997- Sunset Shrine~~

"And so Kagome, we sell these replicas of the legendary Shikon No Tama. This jewel has been in our family for generations!" The girl in question, Kagome, could only listen as her grandfather retold the story for possibly the millionth time, holding up a small blue glass ball attached to a wooden label that read the jewel's name.

She tilted her head as she eyed the bobble, " _And_ we sell these little glass marbles?" she asked skeptically as she played with the family cat, Buyo. Kagome watched the obese feline reach and swat at the little blue bobble that she held as her grandfather began to speak yet again. She didn't have the heart to tell the old man that she had heard the stories countless times since she was a child. She figured that she would let him have his day.

 _Speaking of which._ She clapped her hands together suddenly, startling the cat and her grandfather, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Oh! That's right. Do you remember what tomorrow is, Grandpa?" She tried to hold in a squeal when a sly smile cracked the older Higurashi's wrinkled features.

"But of course I remembered my lovely granddaughter's birthday!" he said, reaching behind him and pulling out a pink wrapped box. Kagome shrieked in delight, reaching for the proffered gift. She quickly snatched it from him and tore at the thin paper.

"I can't wait to see what-" She stopped short, when she saw a mummified reptilian foot resting in the tissue paper in the box. "What is this…?" She picked up the appendage, eyeing the leathery skin in horror.

Kagome watched as the sly grin on her grandfather's face grew wider as it always did when he was about to launch himself into another explanation. She caught a glimpse of Buyo eyeing the thing in her hand like it was the best dish he had ever seen in his life. The feline would be drooling if he could. Absently, she wondered if cats _could,_ in fact, drool.

" _That_ , Kagome, is the dried foot of a Kappa. It is thought to-" Kagome had heard enough. Decision made, she offered the _Kappa_ foot to Buyo.

"Here, Buyo. Food." She watched as the cat gingerly grabbed the appendage from her hand before waddling away. She heard her grandfather's sharp intake of breath followed by a very over dramatic show of crying over her disregard for his gift to her. She sighed in an attempt to calm her rising temper.

"Geez, Jii-san. I'm fifteen years old now! A lizard foot isn't exactly something to give to a girl!" With that she stood, smiling despite her ire. "Come on. I think Mama should be done with dinner." She helped the old man up from his kneeling position on the floor before turning and walking out of the old storehouse. _This is how it has always been for me_ , she thought as she walked toward the house. Her entire childhood had been filled with stories passed down through many generations. The shrine itself had been a part of her family for as long as the stories existed, passed down to each generation of Houshi and Miko. Though like any oral telling of a history, the stories had to have been distorted one way or another. Kagome highly doubted that any demons or magical beings could have existed at any point in time.

She stopped in front of the sacred tree, looking up into the lush green foliage. _But what if all of those stories that Gramps told were all true…. Maybe…._ Kagome shook the thoughts from her head. It was too ridiculous of a notion to carry or even muse. _Youkai, Magic._ All of those things were just fairy tales.

The fifteen-year-old sighed, stretching her arms out over her head, satisfied when she felt a satisfactory pop along the vertebrae of her spine. There was no time for all of this nonsense! Adjusting the dark blue sweater that she wore, she walked into the house to help her mother in the kitchen.

It wasn't very long before they were all seated at the table, listening to the old man begin to spout out the origins of the vegetables that they ate. She simply watched him as she nibbled her food. "Let me guess. They were donations from a shrine visitor." She mused, taking another bite out of her bowl. She heard her mother giggle as her grandfather's explanation fell short….

~The Next Day~

Kagome woke up the next morning, ready and raring to go. She quickly got dressed in her school uniform, a white and green sailor shirt with the matching green pleated short skirt, before running down the stairs to the kitchen to grab some breakfast. She all but inhaled her meal before standing and running for the door to put her shoes on.

"I'm off!" She called behind her as she ran toward the stairs of the shrine to be on her way to school. The ninth grader stopped short when she noticed the door to the old well house ajar, her little brother Sota standing in the threshold, holding the cat's food bowl.

"You know you aren't supposed to be playing here. What are you doing?" rolling her eyes when the third grader nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice, she approached him.

"It's Buyo. I think he's at the bottom…." Sota squeaked out, looking up at his older sister with pleading eyes. Kagome crouched next to him, looking down at the old sealed well.

"So? Be a man and go down and get him." She chirped before looking at her brother with a sidelong glance. "What? Are you too scared?" His expression would have made her laugh on any other day had she not been on her way to school. A sudden scratching echoed from within the well house, prompting Sota to jump back a few feet, ready to bolt.

"There's something down there!" Kagome rolled her eyes again before standing and and shooting her sibling a sidelong glare.

"Yeah. The cat." That being said, she began walking down the old wooden steps "Fine. I'll get him. You stay here, ya scaredy-cat." She shot behind her as she descended the steps, stopping right in front of the well. Her brows drew close together when she realized something rather unsettling- the scratching was coming from _within_ the well itself. _But that couldn't be...Could it?_ She took a tentative step closer to the dry well. The thing had been sealed for as long as she could remember. What on earth could have gotten trapped in there? A sudden brush against her ankle had her jumping back, a scream wrenching itself from her throat. She glared at the pudgy feline that looked up at her with a questioning tilt of his head.

 _Stupid cat!_ Picking him up and turning to her younger brother, who had jumped even further out of the well house, she presented the source of the scratching. It had stopped right before Buyo had brushed her leg. He had to have been the culprit.

"See, ya big baby?" She called up to Sota. "Nothing to worry about!" No sooner had the words left her lips, a sudden burst of energy surged from the well. Frozen in place, she heard the wood splinter and crack behind her before she felt hands grabbing her, pulling her into the depths of the dry well. She heard her brother's cries for her, but she couldn't answer. Her voice had utterly abandoned her. A sea of purple and lights surrounded her and she was suddenly very aware of the two willowy hands clasping her face and turning her to come face to face with possibly the most terrifying thing she had ever seen.

A woman? No. The thing that had her had the torso and face of a woman with six long, spidery arms and the long lower body of a centipede. She watched as flesh returned to bleached white bones. _What was going on?!_ Kagome felt her skin crawl when the creature began to speak, her voice both feminine and raspy.

"Yeesssssss! The Jewel!" The creature hissed out, her eyes closing in pure ecstasy, "I can feel my strength returning!" Her cold, black eyes trained on Kagome.

"I can _feel_ my power returning! Give it to me!" The creature ran her long inhuman tongue along Kagome's cheek and the fifteen year old finally found the strength to speak.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" She cried out, struggling against the monster's vice-like hold on her. She managed to wiggle out of the hands grasping her, "Let me GO!" thrusting her hand into the woman's face, she watched as a pink light erupted and burned the flesh on the beast. The creature let her go with an anguished wail.

"No! The jewel shall be mine!" She shrieked as she disappeared into the sea of purple. Kagome could feel the pull of gravity return to her limbs as she floated down to the very bottom, stumbling onto her hands and knees. Giving her lungs and heart time to level out, she began to survey her surroundings.

She was in the well.

 _Had it all been a dream?_ Maybe she hit her head on the way down. She silently mused all rational possibilities, clutching her arm, when her eyes fell on the dismembered arm beside her. _Okay, definitely not a dream!_ She stood, brushing off her knees. First thing's first: get out of the well. Taking a deep breath, she called up to her brother.

"Sota! Get grandpa!" a few moments went by and she got no answer. _Little twerp probably ran away!_ With a grimace, she called again. Still no answer. With yet another resigned sigh she grasped the thick vines along the walls of the well, hoisting herself up carefully foot by foot.

"Just wait until I get my hands on that little…" She trailed off as a white butterfly fluttered into her line of sight. She watched it for a few moments before she shook the thoughts from her head and continued to climb up. She let out a triumphant cry when she reached the top, hoisting herself over the lip of the well. Her victory, however, was short lived when she took in her surroundings. She was in a lush green clearing, no buildings around her, just vibrant green forests circling her.

"Where am I…?" She mused to herself, "I remember falling down the well at the shrine….But…" She had pulled herself up during her monologue, and was sitting on the well's lip now, trying to soak in exactly what she was seeing. This could not be right. The shrine was gone! In its place was foliage and wildlife.

"Jii-chan! Mama!" She called out. No answer. "Jii-chan! Mama!" Still nothing. She looked around her for anything even remotely familiar. Her mother had always told her to do that in the event that she got lost. But this wasn't Tokyo. It could not be. A relieved cry jumped from her throat when her gaze fell upon the towering form of the Goshinboku. Her legs began to move of their own accord, her feet carrying her through the thick foliage of the forest.

 _If the tree is here then that must mean I'm close to home!_ She burst through the clearing, pushing past the bushes, only to stop short when the tree came into sight. "A boy?" There, wrapped in thick roots that jutted from the base of the tree itself was a boy, seemingly asleep, pinned to the tree by a weathered arrow. She took in the long flowing silver mane that floated gently in the light breeze, watched as it brushed against the alabaster skin on his face. Unable to smother her curiosity, she climbed up the thickest root to take a closer look at his face.

 _Are these tattoos…?_ Two magenta stripes graced each pale cheek, curving over and alongn the high cheekbones. Absently her hand reached up to brush her fingers along the violet crescent moon on his brow. The skin was slightly raised, the texture rough in contrast to the smooth texture of his unmarred skin. Heaving a heavy sigh, her arms dropped to her sides

"Glad I got that out of my system." How utterly embarrassing! She was lost in Gods know where and here she was getting all handsy with a complete, _unconscious,_ stranger! A rough voice suddenly wrenched her from her musings and all she could do was turn around to get a look at the intruders before she froze in place.

"You there!" A gruff voice barked out, breaking the silence. What was going on!? Kagome didn't have time to ponder exactly what was happening before arrows were flying toward her. She threw herself against the bound man's chest, covering his flank and neck. Her eyes screwed shut as the arrows embedded themselves into the trunk around them…

Kagome struggled with the knots binding her wrists and ankles. Just what was going on!? No sooner had she gotten to this strange world had she found a strange man pinned to a tree and gotten captured by arrow wielding men wearing top knots and kimonos! She seemed to be in a village by the looks of all of the people currently surrounding her and ogling her like she was some sort of bizarre circus act. Children cowered behind their mothers and the women whispered word of her being a witch or a kitsune.

 _Top knots_ Her cerulean gaze swept over the crowd. _Top knot. Top knot._ Just where was she for everyone to be dressed like they were straight out of her history book? Her thoughts halted as the crowd parted way to allow an old woman dressed in traditional miko garments carrying a bowl of unknown contents to pass. Her eyes stayed on the short woman as she approached her.

 _Great. Another weirdo._ Her thoughts were stalled when the woman suddenly reached into the bowl and threw what Kagome now knew as salt onto her.

"Youkai begone!" The old miko wheezed out. Moments passed and all Kagome could do was glare up from her position.

"What's the big idea?!" Her only answer was the old woman grabbing hold of her face, turning it to the right and then the left.

"Strange...Ye were not affected by the purifying salts, yet ye hold a striking resemblance to my late sister Kikyo…" The old miko mused as she examined Kagome's face.

 _Why you!_ Kagome's ire rose further as she was manhandled by withered but strong hands.

After a few moments the old miko backed away, her expression perplexed.

"Ye are human."

Some time later, now in the elder Miko's hut, Kagome rubbed her sore wrists, watching as the old woman, who she now knew as Kaede, poured what appeared to be stew into a small clay bowl. Night had fallen some time ago in the midst of the chaos of everything. She had managed to lose track of time altogether, her mind spinning with the reality of her situation:

Here she sat with an elderly Miko eating stew in a _village_ in Feudal Japan. She absently wondered about the cost of a good therapist that wouldn't immediately throw her into a mental ward upon hearing her experience.

 _Yeah right! They'd institutionalize me for sure!_ She thought as she accepted the bowl from Kaede with a smile.

"It smells delicious! Thank you." She said before taking a tentative sip. Her pallet welcomed the warm food and she was suddenly reminded of her mother's cooking. She needed to find a way to get home, which reminded her...

"This wouldn't happen to be Tokyo, would it?" Kaede merely tilted her head, very much confused by the question.

"To-Ky-O?" She tested the word on her tongue "Is that your homeland?"

Right. She was in the Feudal Era. It would make sense that Tokyo did not exist yet. "You could say that." Kagome simply replied.

"I'd like to go home soon." She said. _Not that I know exactly how to._ She added silently as an afterthought, taking a sip of her stew. Silence fell between them and she took the opportunity to look around the small dwelling. It was a quaint wooden structure with a straw curtain over the door way and one simple little window. The inside held a hearth in the very center of the floor and various pots and vases sat in the corners of the small dwelling. All in all it felt very warm and friendly to Kagome.

She was wrenched from her thoughts by a shrill cry from outside. Jumping to her feet she dashed outside to investigate. A shriek wrenched itself from her throat as several of the village men skidded across the dirt to come to a rest at her feet. She looked up, her blue eyes widening in terror when the same monster from before loomed over them all, a horse in her jaws. She began to take a cautious step back, painfully aware that she was being watched.

Kaede came out then, her good eye widening as well at the scene before her.

"Mistress Centipede! But I thought we dropped her into the well years ago!" The old Miko said, instantly getting Kagome's attention. Her head whipped to the side to look at the older woman. So the monster was called Mistress centipede. It made sense, come to think of it.

"W-what?! That thing has a name?!" She stammered out. Kaede, still keeping her gaze on the monster, nodded:

"Aye." She said, her hand slowly reaching toward her arrows. "She is a youkai sealed long ago within the Bone eater's well." As she spoke, she pulled an arrow out of the quiver at her side, notching it on her bow.

 _A youkai!?_ This was getting to be a bit much for Kagome.

"The jewel! Give me the Jewel!" Mistress Centipede cried, dropping the horse from her powerful jaws, letting it crash to the ground to loom over the two women.

 _So it's me she wants!_ The fifteen year old felt a resolve come over her as she looked on at Kaede and the terrified villagers. Gods above, she was also scared, but she had to get Mistress Centipede away from the village. Still keeping an eye on the youkai in front of her, she begins to take careful steps back, distancing herself from Kaede a good few feet. She attempted to drown out the cries of the villagers surrounding her and to ignore the ice cold fear rushing through her veins, threatening to freeze her legs to the spot. She had to remind herself that she was doing this to keep everyone safe.

"No, child! What are ye doing?! Ye will surely be killed by the demon! We must get her to the well!" Kaede called to her over the bedlam, staggering when one of the villagers glances her shoulder in their attempt to escape the massive youkai. Kagome gasped, calling out to the old Miko, her resolve hardening at that. Her brow furrowed, she squared her shoulders and began looking around for the direction of the well. Her gaze lands on a bright pillar of light beaming up into the night sky, illuminating the area in it's glow.

"Is the well in the direction of that light?" She calls over her shoulder. _It's gotta be!_ Without awaiting a response, she spun on her heel and bolted in the direction of the light. She cut through the paths along the rice fields, hoping - _praying_ \- that the Mistress Centipede wouldn't catch her.

Terror drove her forward as she ran, her legs beginning to burn from her sprint. The light ahead was her beacon of hope in this wholesome nightmare. Her body was beginning to give way to lethargy, her arms and legs beginning to feel as though lead weights were strapped to them.

"I don't know who's up there!" She panted out, her voice dragging in her exhaustion, "But someone...Anyone! _Help!_ " With the last bit of air in her lungs she screamed out for help, her voice echoing over the trees above them as she continued to run as fast as she could into the trees.

In the forest, her call echoed through the trees themselves, carrying over to the largest tree there where the youkai slumbered. A strong holy power accompanied the call, piercing through the veil of darkness that had clouded his mind. His heartbeat picked up and he could feel the sensations begin to return to his limbs as a familiar scent filled his nose, causing the blood to ice in his very veins.

"I can smell it…" Said a voice with so deep a bass that it rumbled from his chest, "The blood of the woman who killed me." that same voice dripped with venom as he looked at the small clearing, examining the treeline as his senses began to return to him. Sesshomaru could hear an erratic heartbeat getting closer and closer to him, the scent of the abominable woman accompanied with it. His full lips spread in a smirk across his face; he would finally get his revenge. Reaching up with a pale, clawed hand he reached for the arrow, intent on pulling it out. No sooner did his fingertips touch the splintered wooden staff of the arrow, did the aborrant thing give off a surge of spiritual power, searing the skin on his fingers and palm. He withdrew his hand with a curse, examining the reddened skin with rising ire.

The trees rustled to his left and he looked up just in time to watch the miko, Kikyo, stumble through the trees, panting heavily and turning to watch the trees as she desperately scooted back. So she was being pursued. _But by what?_ Sesshomaru got his answer when a familiar youkai to him, the Mistress Centipede, crashed through the trees into the clearing demanding the jewel. He watched as Kikyo stood and ran toward the tree, stopping short when her wide blue eyes fell on him. Something was not right about her: he did not recall her eyes being such a pronounced cerulean. As a matter of fact Kikyo's eyes had been brown. Her face was nearly the same as he remembered save for that. Her clothing was different as well. The traditional miko garbs she once wore were replaced by a ridiculously short emerald green skirt and a haori that covered most of the skirt, it's sleeves hugging her slender wrists. The shoes she wore were even different- instead of the tabi sandals that she frequented, the socks she wore went up a little over halfway to her knees, the shoes she wore closed-toed and made of a sturdier looking material. Was this not the Miko that sealed him to a tree?

"Why do you not simply purify the youkai as you did me, Kikyo?" He asked, his suspicion growing further as fear turned to anger on the girl's face and she stomped up one of the large roots of the tree to stand nearly face to face with him.

"Kikyo. Kikyo. Kikyo. There goes that name again! Just who is she because I can tell you right now that she isn't me!" She ranted on, her voice a higher octave than before, "I'm Kagome! Ka-go-me!" She finished off with a hand on her chest, the other planted on her hip as she glared up at him, Mistress Centipede all but forgotten in the background.

Sesshomaru quirked a brow down at her, rather amused by her fire. He had been right in his suspicions: the fiery girl in front of him was not the miko that had sealed him there. He gave a curious sniff, picking up the clean scent of soaps and the sweet scent of apples laced with the scent of tangerines from her anger, and the faint scent of cloves from the power that slept within her. She may not have been Kikyo, but this girl, Kagome, was definitely a powerful miko.

Kagome could not believe the audacity of the man in front of her. Just like Kaede before, he had the nerve to compare her likeness to the woman Kikyo that everyone would not shut up about. What exactly about her reminded them all so much of this woman anyway? She silently glared up at him, staring into bored molten gold eyes as he looked right back down at her, merely gracing her with a languid blink, long, thick silver lashes brushing porcelain cheeks as he craned his neck forward and gave her a sniff. She recoiled, taken aback by his actions, anger beginning to replace her shock.

 _Is this jerk trying to say that I smell or something?!_ She gave herself a tentative sniff, merely smelling the scent of her deodorant over the faint musk of sweat. Her ire rose further as her mind began to attempt to surmise exactly what he was trying to insinuate about her.

"Now listen here, mister!" She growled out, poking at his chest with a finger, "You trying to say that I stink or something?!" Her answer did not come from the man in front of her, but from the forgotten youkai behind them.

"I think you smell delectable! You'll definitely taste as good when I devour you and the Shikon Jewel!" She whirled around, fear clenching her stomach as the Mistress Centipede reared up and dove toward them. Kagome turned, reaching for the man just as the Youkai grabbed her by her tiny waist. Desperate not to be eaten, she clutched the man's kimono in one hand, a hand full of his long hair in the other, holding on for dear life as she's tugged back.

"Release this Sesshomaru at once, woman!" The man, Sesshomaru growled out, trying to pull his hair from her tight grasp. Kagome let out a scream, clutching tighter.

"What do you _mean let go?!_ You jerk, I don't want to die!" She screamed, the words coming out in a rush as she clung for dear life. Just then she remembered what had happened in the well before. Without giving it a second thought, her actions driven by the terror engulfing her, she released Sesshomaru's kimono,

"Let me _go!_ " She screamed out as she thrust her hand into Mistress Centipede's face as she did before in the well, her hand glowing with that same pink light as before. She opened her eyes, having shut them, when she felt those spidery fingers release her with a shrill shriek. Kagome also lost her grip on Sesshomaru's hair and she felt weightless as she fell to the hard, damp ground beneath her. She landed with a sharp cry face down, slightly dazed.

"Kagome! Get up, child! Quickly!" She faintly heard Kaede through the rush of blood pounding in her ears from the adrenaline. She pushed herself up, looking to the old Miko, surprised to see them there, wondering when she had gotten there with several of the men from the village.

"Kaede! Quick! All of you get out of here!" She Pushes herself back up to her feet, just as Mistress Centipede swooped down on her once again.

"The jewel is miiiinnnnne!" The demon hissed out as she dove for Kagome, sinking her fangs deep into the girl's flesh on her left side and lifting her into the air as she ripped something from her body. The teen did not scream or cry out, the whole thing happening far too fast for her raddled brain to register. She did not register the pain as she fell through the air, eyeing the pink ball falling beside her. She noticed vaguely that it resembled the keychains that her grandfather had wanted to sell at the shrine.

 _So that's...The jewel…?_ Her mind finally caught up to her as she landed limply back on the ground with a bounce, the jewel landing a few feet in front of her. Sesshomaru's voice cut through the shock induced haze clouding her mind, crystal clear amidst the murmurs of all the other voices.

"I suggest you grab the jewel before Mistress Centipede does, girl. Lest you all get eaten when she ingests it." She turned her head up toward him as his words sunk in, replacing the haze with another rush of adrenaline and fear. She began to crawl toward the jewel, reaching desperately for it.

"You foolish human! I'll just have to kill you both and gobble you right up!" She shrieked out as she began wrapping her massive body around the tree, dragging Kagome back up to it and against Sesshomaru's form, her face smacking right into his bone armor and the sash around his waist. She could feel the rough bark of the roots digging into her flesh as she began to struggle underneath the crushing weight.

Kagome could only let out a gasp as the breath left her very lungs and her bones strained beneath the armored body, trying her best to duck and avoid the large, razor legs as they scuttled across the roots and trunk of the Goshinboku. This was it, wasn't it? This was how she was going to die. She would never get to see her family, or her home ever again. She could feel hot tears beginning to fill her eyes and streak down her cheeks silently, her lungs unable to elicit the sobs wracking her body.

She did not notice Sesshomaru looking down at her, studying her facial expressions until he spoke, moving his gaze forward as he watched the men of the village flood the clearing behind the old miko, spears and various other weapons drawn and ready. He watched as she looked on in horror at the scene they presented before her.

"Kagome!" He heard her withered voice call out to the frightened girl, watched as Kagome did not respond through her struggles. Feeling a vein tick in his forehead, he clicked his tongue disdainfully and addressed the girl against him as calmly as he could.

"Listen to me, girl. If you wish to live and save your friends, you must listen to me." He saw in his peripherals as she stopped her struggles and looked up at him, a hopeful glint in her fearful eyes.

"Anything to get us out of here!" She wheezed out, beginning her struggles once again as Mistress centipede tightened her hold on them. She let out a pitiful cry and he could hear the strain in her bones. She would not last much longer under the pressure.

"You must pull the arrow out and release me. Can you reach it?" Watching as Mistress Centipede stretched down to the ground near the jewel, he felt the Kagome begin to wiggle one of her arms free from the vice like grip.

"I- I think so!" He admired her determination as she reached up, stretching up as much as she could, her fingertips grazing the shaft of the arrow. His gaze shifted to the old miko, Kaede the little miko had called her, as she took a step forward, he watched her expression twist in frantic desperation, the sour scent of her fear filling his nostrils.

"No, Kagome! Ye mustn't free him!" He growled, glaring at the woman.

"Foolish woman! Do you all want to die?!" He called out, just as Mistress Centipede stretched out her tongue, wrapping it around the jewel and swallowing it whole.

He looked down as he felt Kagome double her efforts. He admired her determination through what he was sure was crushing pain. He could feel his own adrenaline beginning to pump as her hand reaches further toward the arrow.

"I…" She wheezed out as her fingers began to close around the shaft of the arrow. "I want to…" Her fingers finally closed tightly around the arrow.

"... _Live!_ " With that her holy power engulfed the arrow, the wood disintegrating in her clasp. Sesshomaru feels the rush as his youkai floods his system, the long dormant power giving him a headrush.

Kagome cries out her victory, the euphoria immediately being replaced by dread when a deep chuckle rumbles forth from Sesshomaru's throat, and she feels a surge of power pulse from his body. She could only watch as he rose up a large clawed hand, a green glow accompanied by an acrid scent emanating from it. She watched as a thick green liquid seeped from his claws, dripping down onto the bark of the root biting into the flesh of her belly and chest. She felt her throat swell as the wood began to dissolve with each drop. So he was a youkai as well? Was he going to kill her too? She looked back as she felt Mistress Centipede's body begin to vibrate and quiver against them. She looked over to see her very flesh rip from her body to reveal the dark red muscle beneath, her feminine face replaced by an animalistic face with large beady eyes and a large, wide mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

 _Could this get any worse?!_ She looked between the two demons, watching as Sesshomaru graced her with a deadpan expression, his eyes unreadable as he turned his gaze to the larger demon looming over them.

"You will release this Sesshomaru, you loathsome creature, or you will die by my claws" He said, addressing Mistress Centipede as he flexed his claws at his side. Kagome turned again when a truly demonic sound escaped the demons jaws as she laughed at Sesshomaru's threat.

"I recognize you now. Even a demon lord such as yourself cannot defeat me while I hold the jewel in my posession, _Lord_ Sesshomaru" She sounded confident as she mocked his title. Kagome's head was reeling from it all. Sesshomaru was a _lord_?! Like a Shogun?! She looked back to said demon lord as another chuckle escaped his full lips.

"You underestimate the power of this Sesshomaru, wench!" With lightning fast movements, far too quick for Kagome's eyes to follow, they were freed from their hold. Mistress Centipede's body was cut into large chunks aside from her torso, the roots holding Sesshomaru to the tree all but annihilated. Kagome could only watch his face as they glide through the air, herself safely held in his arms as they touch down to the ground. She could not help but note just how beautiful he was. He helped her down to her feet beside Kaede and turned to walk toward the abomination once more.

"Are ye alright, child?" She gives an absent nod to the old miko's concern as she watches in horror as the pieces of Mistress Centipede's body lift off the ground and fly back to toward her floating torso like paper clips to a magnet. She steps back as the demon gives another shrill laugh, that same confidence from before still in her tone.

"She's regenerating…?But how?!" She asks Kaede, who merely looks on as a long green glowing whip extends from Sesshomaru's claws.

"Aye, it be the power of the shikon jewel" She tried to swallow down the lump in her own throat. Kagome looks on as Sesshomaru continued to step toward Mistress Centipede's now whole form. She clenched the fabric in front of her shirt anxiously as they watched the demon lord jump high into the air effortlessly, cracking the whip down on mistress centipede, slicing through her insect body once more. The pieces merely joined their master once again and Sesshomaru let out a growl in his frustration.

"Aye ye must remove the jewel, Lord Sesshomaru! Tis' the only way to defeat the Mistress Centipede!" Kaede called out to the demon lord. Kagome looked toward the said demon's body, noticing the bright light shining in her belly.

"Sesshomaru! It's in her stomach! You have to aim there!" She called, not noticing the older woman's shocked expression directed toward her.

 _So she can see the jewel as well; just as sister Kikyo was able to._ Kaede thought to herself before turning her gaze back to Sesshomaru. He nodded before launching himself back up into the air and used his claws to cleave straight through Mistress Centipede's torso. She gave a high pitched, shrill scream as the jewel fell from her body and onto the blood soaked grass. Sesshomaru wasted no time in cleaving through her again, leaving her body in pieces. They watched as the upper half of her torso landed on the ground, writhing and coiling around as she tried to drag herself over to the jewel.

"NO! The jewel! It's mine! Mine!" Her voice faded as the very flesh began to turn to dust and lift from the bones, her outstretched arm falling limp to the ground.

Kagome felt herself fall to the ground, the adrenaline leaving her system. The wound at her side stung like the blazes and her limbs felt heavy as stone. But it was finally over. The mistress Centipede was dead and they were safe. She watched as Sesshomaru walked over to the jewel and picked it up before turning and walking over to her, ignoring the terrified villagers' whispers. He crouched down in front of her, reaching out his hand and offering the jewel over to her.

"This Sesshomaru is in your debt, Miko. I will protect you with my life." Kagome merely blinked, accepting the offered jewel from his grasp, the dark purple instantly turning back to it's pure pink in her hand.

Kaede nodded, cupping her chin in thought. "It is as I suspected." The two look up at the old miko's words, both tilting their heads in curiosity.

"What do you mean, Kaede?" Kagome asked. Kaede looked down at them, a grave expression on her face as she answers.

"Ye are the reincarnation of my late sister Kikyo." Kagome could only blink and look to Sesshomaru, who gave her much the same expression as he looked to her. The reincarnation of a miko, stuck in the feudal era with a powerful demon lord as her protector. Her life just go much, _much_ more interesting…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Seekers of the Sacred Jewel

" _Ye are the reincarnation of my late sister Kikyo."..._

The old miko, Kaede's, words echoed in Sesshomaru's mind as he watched the younger miko's expressions change from astonishment, to fear, to disgruntlement, before inevitably settling on exhaustion. Such a strange creature this young human woman was. He never understood just how one could cycle through an array of emotions as quickly as the human race could. To him the whole thing was troublesome. In his world, such emotions as fear or love only got one killed.

 _Or sealed away._ He thought bitterly. It had been fear for the erasure of his bloodline and a love for his brother that had landed him here, standing amongst a large group of humans with two mikos. His father would surely be laughing at his eldest son. Sesshomaru had sworn off associating with mere humans when his father chose to take a human princess as his mate. The young lord had been so angry with the old dog at the time. Even now he did not understand how a youkai as powerful as his father would fall in love with the human when he had already mated Sesshomaru's mother. He remembered the Inukimi's bitterness and hatred over the whole affair. How her already cold disposition calcified into something much worse. She had turned apathetic, uncaring of anything and everything around her; even her own son.

With a grunt, Sesshomaru pushed the memories back down into the cage he had locked them in long ago within the confines of his mind. The old Miko had taken them back to her small hut within the tiny human village. He was none too happy to be there himself, but he was now bound to the girl that had awoken him from his slumber. What was the blasted girl's name again? Kagome? A scoff escaped his lips. He most definitely would not be calling the creature by her name; she had not earned the respect for him to address her as such. If he were not bound by his word to the miko, he would have killed every human in that clearing for what their kind had done to him.

"You alright, Sesshomaru?" Her voice wrenched him from his thoughts and he did his best to ignore her, gracing her with a pensive glare.

Kagome felt her ire rise once more. The least the guy could do was speak to her! She had half a mind to give this guy a piece of her mind. However, her ire quickly deflated, turning into fatigue. Her body hurt and she wanted nothing more than to wake up from this nightmare of a reality. She supposed Sesshomaru was rather weary from everything as well.

 _I mean the guy_ _ **did**_ _just wake up from a spell just to be nearly killed by monster._ Kagome mused, wincing as Kaede spread a green paste on her wound. She saw how his expression had become drawn, a frown stretching his lips, for a long moment before he noticed her looking up at him. He had been somewhere else completely in that moment, and whatever he had been thinking about seemed to have been painful. So she relented, a sigh escaping her lip as she turned back to Kaede to continue their conversation.

"You were saying, Kaede?" She apologized, pinching the bridge of her nose. She winced once more as Kaede worked to patch her up. She tried to look everywhere but at the gory mess that the hole in her side presented. Outside the men made repairs to the huts, while the women did their best to clean up the debris left from the attack the night before. She looked over to Sesshomaru, who sat quietly against the wall across the hearth, his eyes closed and his hands tucked into the sleeves of his kimono. She winced again, gasping when she felt Kaede spread something thick on her wound, making the area burn.

"Hold still, child. I need to put this paste I made from medicinal herbs to help heal the wound." She said as she spread more of the putrid smelling paste onto the injury. Throwing a quick glance over toward Sesshomaru, she began to speak once again as she worked.

"It has been many years that ye have been sealed to the sacred tree, Lord Sesshomaru." She said. "Fifty years, in fact." The Youkai Lord opened his eyes at that, his expression deadpan.

"I see." Was all he said in response before closing his eyes once more. Kaede grunted before launching back into her explanation.

"For the jewel to be back in this age will prove to be troublesome. Evil beings will come hunting for it." She mused as she pressed a large plaster to Kagome's side, careful not to press on the wound too hard.

" Um… You mean like Youkai?" Kagome asked, moving to fully face Kaede, sighing when she notices the villagers listening in on them from the doorway.

Kaede nodded. "Aye. But Youkai are not the only ones that will be trying to get the shikon no tama. Humans that hold evil within their hearts seek the power of the jewel as well." Kagome swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

"But why would they wanted the jewel?" She stammered, looking down at the little pink jewel in her palm. Kaede gave the thing a sidelong glance as she scrubbed her hands clean of the blood.

"In this time of war, anyone who gains the full spiritual power of the jewel will have the power to make all of their desires come true." The old miko stood and carried the small wooden bucket to the door to dump the blood tainted water outside. Kagome looked back down at the jewel her mind beginning to race.

 _So this thing has that much power?_ She thought back to what had happened to the Mistress Centipede when she had ingested the jewel, a shudder running down her spine at the memory. _And this thing...Was inside of_ _ **me**_ _?_ Why had it been there to begin with? Was it because she was the reincarnation of this Kikyo? Speaking of….

"Kaede. Who is this Kikyo person, anyway?" She asked, looking back up as Kaede stepped back into the hut. She watched a pained expression come over the older woman's wrinkled face. She let out a weary sigh, moving to sit beside the hearth.

"She was my older sister. She protected this village and the jewel from those who would try and take it and use it for their own selfish desires." As she spoke, she stoked the embers in the hearth, her good eye shining like glass with unshed tears. Kagome felt sympathy for the old woman. She wiped a tear threatening to fall from her eye.

"How did she die?" She asked, jumping when Sesshomaru stood up abruptly and walked out of the hut. What was his problem? Did he really hate Kikyo so much? But why? She vaguely remembered him mentioning Kikyo earlier when he was still pinned to the tree. She had been the one to put the spell on him.

"She was fatally injured by Inuyasha, Sesshomaru's younger brother. She tried pinning the hanyou to the Goshinboku, but Lord Sesshomaru pushed him out of the way and took the arrow." Kaede chimed in, breaking her from her thoughts. Kagome could not help but feel bad for both parties. This Inuyasha seemed like he was a bad character.

"How terrible…." She whispered, looking over to the doorway. No wonder Sesshomaru had walked out. He was probably still angry with the whole thing. Excusing herself, she stood and walked out of the hut, intent on finding the youkai lord. She walked through small streets of the village, taking in the peculiar scene. The villagers all eyed her, whispering amongst each other as she passed.

"I hear she is the reincarnation of Lady Kikyo…" One young woman whispered to a small group. They turned to her and immediately bowed in respect to her. Kagome felt her face flush at their gesture. She picked up the pace, praying she found Sesshomaru soon.

Sesshomaru sat perched up in a tall tree along the rice fields, far enough to get a little privacy, while still being within ear shot in case any stray youkai decide to try their hand at getting the Shikon Jewel. He kept his golden gaze up at the clear blue sky, watching small wisps of clouds move across the sea of blue as he let his mind drift. He had been pinned to that damnable tree for _fifty years._ Such amount of time was meager for a youkai such as himself, but it was still enough time for things to change drastically around him. He had lost so much time in this war torn land thanks to that _wretched_ miko. He could only hope that his lands were still in order and had not fallen victim to one of his numerous enemies in his absence.

 _Hopefully Jaken was able to handle things._ The little kappa was an eccentric character, but loyal to a fault when it came to Sesshomaru. He would often leave him in charge of the castle when he would go off to patrol the Western Lands. The youkai lord absently wondered if the Jaken had looked for him at all in the fifty years that he slept. He would have to ensure that the miko was safe so that he could go on a patrol soon. This little hamlet was at the very border of his lands, so it was definitely a start.

 _Speaking of the little miko._ What was it about her that made him want to pledge his protection to her before? Had he not sworn off such interactions with the weaker species? There was something about her that he found fascinating for sure; from her strange clothes to the unbiased way that she addresses him despite him being youkai. He didn't find her scent all that unpleasant either. He could tell that she bathed when he first scented her. Was she from a noble family to have access to such luxuries? No. Her mannerisms suggested otherwise: She lacked the etiquette of a Lady of the Court. He was pulled out of his musings as the scent of soaps and apples approached his perch. _Truly peculiar indeed._ He looked down at her approaching form, a bag of various vegetables slung over her shoulder, no doubt an offering from the villagers. He supposed it was fitting; she being the reincarnation of the miko Kikyo.

"Why do you bother me, miko?" He drawled, schooling his expression as best as he could into an apathetic mask. Fascinating or not, he was her protector and he could not show her any weakness that certain emotions brought with them. Kagome stopped below his branch, a fruit, he deduced was a _kaki_ by the sweet citrine scent coming off of it in her free hand. She shot him a bright smile before throwing the fruit up to him. He caught it, bringing the fruit up to inspect it further.

"Offerings from the villagers! That's your share. Why don't you come down and eat with me?" She called up and Sesshomaru found himself obliging, jumping down and landing gracefully in front of her. Without a word, he reached over and gently pulled the tied cloth sack from her shoulder and set it down among the roots at the base of the tree. Her smile widened and her eyes twinkled like stars in the night sky as she thanked him and sat down beside the bag.

"They gave up a whole bunch of fruits and vegetables to eat, and I haven't seen you eat at all yet since you were freed from the tree, so I figured you would like some." She grunted and she rummaged through the bag, giving a short cry when she fished out another _kaki_ from the burlap. Sesshomaru watched as she plopped herself down, her legs stretched out in front of her before taking a seat beside her, his form well but dwarfing her own. He drew his legs to him, folding them akimbo before taking a bite out of his fruit. It was sweeter than he remembered, but he supposed that everything would have a pronounced flavor to his neglected taste buds. He looked over to his companion as she munched happily at her own fruit, careful to avoid the pit within. She merely watched the village below from their spot on the high hill, those stars in her eyes from before dancing in delight.

"What do you intend to do about the Shikon no Tama?" He decided to sate his growing curiosity. Kagome merely swallowed the bite that she was chewing before looking up at the sky, delight turning to a wistful expression.

"I really don't know, honestly. I guess as Kikyo's reincarnation I have to protect the jewel now, right? I'm not really sure how I intend to do that though…" Her voice dropped with her eyes and she brought her knees up to her chest and tucked them under her softly rounded chin. He could smell the scent of smoke accompanied with the somber change in her mood.

 _Why sadness?_ Should she not be feeling fear? She was by no means defenseless, but from his understanding she could not control her reiki very well. But here she sat unsure of herself. Why?

Kagome could do nothing more than let the self doubt consume her as she sat. Here she was, a human girl, 500 years away from her own time in a time where youkai run amok. How in the world was she supposed to protect a jewel so sought after by humans and youkai alike? She did not know how to use any weapons to defend herself and she had to depend on the youkai beside her for protection. She shifted her gaze to the being in question, looking at him from the corner of her eye. Would he keep his promise to her and protect her as he said he would? She was doing a lot by putting her trust in this complete stranger. But oddly she was not afraid. His larger form sitting beside her did not intimidate her as it should have. It made her feel oddly secure in the idea of him being by her side with the task entrusted to her. But something still ate at her at the very back of her mind….

"Hey, Sesshomaru?" She turned her head to him, waiting for him to turn his gaze to her, continuing when he did so. "Do you hate humans?"

She watched as he seemed to contemplate his answer for a moment, those beautiful golden eyes of his going up to the sky.

"I do not hate humans. I do not like them. But I tolerate them, a lord must tolerate all of his subjects." He spoken, his voice so surprisingly gentle that Kagome felt her cheeks heat up a bit. She took a breathe before she spoke again, readying herself for potential backlash.

"Kaede told me what happened…" She began hesitantly, watching his expressions as she continues. "She told me about your younger brother, how he wounded Kikyo….And how you took the arrow for him." His expression had become drawn again and she immediately found herself scrambling for an apology.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to pry or anything! I just… I'm sorry." She stammered out, her cheeks turning a darker shade of red. She heard a sigh from him before his deep bass rumbled beside her.

"Why do you apologize for something that was not your fault, miko?" He said, his gaze drifting to her as he spoke. Something about the way he said miko made her chest clinch.

"I don't know. I just don't want anything bad between us. You're the first person I technically met in this time and I want us to be friendly toward each other…." She fiddled with her fingers as she spoke, "So….Don't call me miko. Please. I'm not Kikyo. I'm Kagome." She watched him from her peripherals as he watched her for a moment, his eyes unreadable, before giving her a curt nod. She felt her shoulders sag in relief. It was definitely one less thing she had to worry about….

Later that night Kagome lie under the thick kimono on the tatami mat beside it inside the hut, the fire in the hearth crackling behind her. Kaede slept soundly on the other side, unaware of the tumultuous thoughts raging through the younger woman's head. She had been in this time for two days now. She was sure that her family was worried about her by now. As her mind sifted through everything she could feel the heavy cloud of slumber beginning to overtake her. She had to start finding a way to get home. She slowly drifted into slumber, exhaustion from all of the events finally overcoming her.

Unbeknownst to her, she was being watched. A small silhouette sat perched in the window, three burning red orbs glowing bright in the darkness. Outside, Sesshomaru stood atop the shrine gate beside the hut, glaring down at the spy. It was a _Shibagarasu_ , a corpse dancing crow. They were vexatious creatures that mostly stayed where there were a large number of corpses. This one must have caught the scent of the Shikon no Tama and decided to try and come and take it.

 _Not this time._ He tossed a small chip of stone in his hand and with precision and aim only a true marksman could possess, he threw it at the little youkai. It did not kill it, merely startled it from its perch. It flew up to his level, circling him, seeming to contemplate attacking him, before deciding against it and flying off into the night. Something about this did not feel right to the youkai lord. He would have to keep an eye on the matter. His eyes drifted down to the hut where Kagome slept.

"Something foul has come this way…" His words fell on deaf ears as it carried through the cool night's breeze and into the trees.

The next morning saw the villagers in a frantic scramble, Kaede among them.

"Kagome!" Their calls echoed in the morning air. "Kagome!" Their little miko was nowhere to be seen. Kaede turned to the trees bordering the forest, a heavy stone of dread settling in her belly.

"Don't tell me she left the village by herself." She groused, unaware of Sesshomaru's form on one of the rooftops, watching the whole thing.

He had been on a patrol of the area, trying to find where the _Shibagarasu_ had made its nest. He had not seen her go, but he could smell her nearby. She was in no distress so he had not pursued her, confident in his abilities to reach her in time.

In the forest, Kagome picked her way through the trees, following the narrow path. She grunted as she pushed another branch out of her way, stepping over a tree root as she went. That dried up well in the forest- the one she had come out of- she was certain that if she could find that place that she would be able to get home. She climbed over some knee-high stones and kept walking, determination driving her legs forward, each step hopefully bringing her closer and closer to her destination. She pushed past the thick foliage of a large bush, taking note of the herbs climbing up the trunk of a nearby tree.

She only stopped momentarily to look at the vibrant green leaves, but it was a moment too long. Before she knew it, she was grabbed from behind by two sets of large, burly hands. She struggled against the strong grip on her arms, trying to break free. _Sesshomaru! She had to call for Sesshomaru!_ She only hoped he could hear her from here. Opening her mouth, she prepared to scream, when one the hands clamped over her mouth, the rancid smell enough to make her gag against the grimy, calloused skin of his palm. She tried to scream against the hand, kicking and flailing as hard as she could as she was hauled off deeper into the trees. She had no clue as to where they were taking her, but she could only pray that Sesshomaru or someone would find her soon.

Very soon she found herself being hauled into an old, weathered looking shrine, her captors dragging her up creaky wooden steps that cracked beneath their collective weight. They threw her unceremoniously to the hard wooden floor, still holding her arms, effectively pinning her down. She swiveled her head as best as she could to take in her surroundings. There were eight men, including the two holding her down. Most of them were scrawny, well past the point of being considered malnourished. They were dressed in leather armor plates only, with shin guards and leather gauntlets. Some had scars marring the leathery skin of their already gaunt faces. But the biggest one, he towered over them all, easily able to stand at over six feet tall if he stood. The barren expression on his ugly face suggested that he was mostly brawn rather than brain.

"A girl?" Her gaze shot over to the source of the gruff voice, watching the smaller heathens smile gap-toothed grins.

"Gehehehe...This wench is wearing some really strange clothes!" Another cackled and she felt the hem of her skirt being lifted. A deep nauseating fear pierced through her belly and she began to kick as hard as she could.

"Hey! Now wait just a minute, you creeps! Let me go this instant! What's with you guys?!" She screeched out as loud as she could. She was unable to break free from their hold.

"The jewel…." A deep, blundering voice croaked out, and her struggles ceased. She looked up to the giant at the head of the group. Eh? Just what did they want with the jewel? Kaede's words echoed through her mind and swallowed down the lump that began to form in her throat. _Sesshomaru, please hurry!_

Back in the forest, Sesshomaru rushed through the trees, weaving through them as they passed by in a blur. He had smelt the change in Kagome's scent, her natural fresh scent of apples turned rotten with her fear. He could smell the filth of the bandits mixed with her own as well. The foolish girl seemed to stay in trouble. He would definitely have to have talk with the little miko after this. A shrill cry from above drew his attention upwards, his eyes narrowing when they fell upon the crow up ahead. He had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to these bandits than it seemed. The scent of rot and death joined Kagome's own scent as he drew closer and closer to her location.

A sharp, familiar feminine shriek echoed through the air and Sesshomaru took that as his initiative to speed up. Pouring his youkai into his feet he flew at top speed, readying his claws for the slaughter.

Kagome looked up into the unfocused eyes of the leader. They had to be bandits of some sort. But was up with their leader, exactly? His eyes looked in two different directions, the sake he drank just dribbled down his face and dripped to the floor. The faint clamor of the bandits around them as they shuffled did little to distract her. Thick lips stretched into a lopsided grin, a lazy guffaw droning from the giant. The young miko was not prepared when a large hand shot out with far more speed than his size would have suggested he possessed, and grabbed her by the front of her shirt and lifting her up over his head. She grabbed at the massive fingers, trying to pry herself free as he laughed some more. No sooner was she hoisted up, did he slam her back down to the hard floor.

She grunted, pushing herself up, her eyes widening when she spotted the Shikon no Tama dangling from those beefy fingers.

"Hey!" She called out, scrambling to her feet. "Give that back!" Stomping down the fear she dove for the jewel, barely recoiling in time to avoid getting speared by the blade of a katana. Eyeing the blade, her gaze slid up the chipped steel, up to the hilt which was held in a massive hand. She felt her blood run cold when her eyes fell upon the bandit leader, who loomed over her. But those eyes- they still did not focus on her at all. Something was definitely wrong with him.

"Re….Strain….Her." The giant wheezed out to his minions, who grabbed by her arms and held her in place.

"She's definitely going to die….What a waste!" She heard one of the bandits gripe out and she could feel her legs begin to trimble. This was the second time that she felt like she was going to die. She could only watch helplessly as the sword was raised over her head, and she let out a scream as it was brought down, bracing herself. She heard the slick contact of the blade slicing through flesh and muscle, felt the bandit to her left jerk. A wet gurgle filled her ears and she looked over, gasping as the bandit slumped to the floor, blood flowing freely from the massive wound on his neck. The other bandit released her in his desperation to escape.

"B-boss?! What are ya doin'?!" Another of the bandits squawked.

"Oops...My mistake." The bastard sounded _amused_ as he lumbered toward Kagome again. "This time I get your neck." With that he swung once more. Kagome dove out of the way, the sword's blade grazing her hair, slicing a few the strands. She scrambled back to her feet as quickly as she could and she darted across the room, looking anything that could be used to defend herself. A glint in her peripherals caught her attention and she turned, spotting a spear at her feet. Without hesitation she picked it up, brandishing it clumsily.

"Come at me! This spear has a better reach than your swo-" Her sentence, as well as whatever nerve she had built up, were cut short, as was the spear when the Bandit leader brought his sword down on the shaft. Yup. This was definitely how she was going to die. When he brought his sword up once more, all Kagome could do was brace herself, screwing her eyes shut to await the impact.

But it seemed as though the kami above were not ready for her just yet. A warm gust of wind, ruffled her skirt, and the hard clang of metal had her peeking through a squinted lid to see just what had saved her life once again. She could have cried in relief when silver and white blocked her view of the bandit. She briefly caught sight of a piece of the blade lying disregarded on the floor. Sesshomaru's back was turned to her when he spoke, his words coming out in a growl.

"You dare attack one under this Sesshomaru's protection." He brought up a hand, his knuckles popping as he flexed his claws. "Now you die."

"Who the fuck is this guy?!" A look sent the bandit that had so eloquently chimed in scurrying with his brethren. Sesshomaru turned his attention back toward their leader and he began to side step slowly, never taking his eyes off of him. Kagome could see his brow furrowed, silver brows drawn close over cold eyes.

 _He must be really angry._ Kagome watched from her spot, trying to remain as out of the way as she possibly could. Was he angry with her for wandering off? She could only hope that he was not, going by the intense focus that he was giving the lumbering giant in front of him.

"You reek of rotting flesh." He said calmly, his light whip extending from his claws. With the same lightening fast movements that he had exhibited before, he pounced, slicing through the leather chest plate of the bandit leader. A collective gasp filled the air as the pieces fell to reveal a three eyed crow with a beak full of sharp teeth looking at Sesshomaru. The creature let loose several shrill shrieks directed toward the demon lord, who merely brushed a few stray strands of hair behind a pointed ear.

"So this is where you decided to make your nest, _Shibagarasu."_ He spoke as if he had known of the creature before. His gaze momentarily shifted over to Kagome before going back to his opponent. With another shrill cry, the youkai flew from its nest through the bandit's back, something sparkling in its jaws.

 _The jewel!_ Sesshomaru let out a quiet curse as the youkai swooped around him before flying out a large hole in the ceiling. He spied a bow and quiver of arrows on the ground and grabbed them before going over to the dazed miko and pulling her small frame against his.

"We fly." Was all he said before he leaped into the air, leaving Kagome with little time to register just what he meant. She watched as a cloud formed beneath his feet and they were off, racing toward the retreating form of the illusive demon.

Kagome could not help but feel that this was all her fault. If she had simply stayed in the village this never would have happened! She had to find a way to make this right; she could not fail! She was brought out of her musings when a wooden bow was shoved into her hands. What exactly was she supposed to do with this?

"Shoot down the _Shiragarasu._ " He spoke as if reading her thoughts. She looked up at him, his cold gaze trained forward. Kagome had absolutely no experience with a bow and arrow. Her family had never felt the need to carry on that particular tradition in her family. But she had to try. Ahead of them, the youkai swallowed the jewel.

"R-right! I'll try my best!" She proclaimed with a nod. She clumsily notched an arrow on the bow, trying her best to aim it at her target. She drew the bowstring taught, drawing in a deep breath, focusing. Kikyo had been a master archer right? She had been a very powerful miko. So she could only surmise that the woman had been a master of the bow. She sent up a prayer above, begging that Kikyo lend her power to her.

 _Please hit!_ With that she let loose the arrow, watching as it flew through the air. It seemed as though it was going to hit its mark. She felt her heart drop into her belly when the arrow lost speed and dropped flimsily from its path. Her heart dropped further when the _Shibagarasu_ began to morph into a truly hellish creature. Plumage turned to scales as its body turned more reptilian than avian. Its beak morphed into a long set of jaws, sharp teeth that could easily slice through fresh. She watched wings grow and lose their feathers. All in all the _Shibagarasu_ looked like a dragon from the pits of hell themselves. She heard Sesshomaru let out a growl and she wished she could just shrink in on herself.

Ahead of them a small village rested along the river, its occupants going about their daily chores and work. They were completely oblivious to the impending danger ready to impede upon their peaceful day. One of the villagers caught sight of a black mass in the distance. One asked if it was a bird, until it got closer.

"It's a youkai!" A village woman cried and the surrounding villagers scrambled to attempt to get to safety from the hellish thing. Large gossamer wings carried the large youkai through the air. Sesshomaru and Kagome caught up to it quickly as it swooped down to the village below. Sesshomaru felt a muscle tick in his jaw, his irritation rising at the asinine task of taking down the troublesome youkai. They watched as the _Shibagarasu_ went into a sharp nose dive, going straight toward a mother and her child. The demon lord heard Kagome's sharp intake of breath as the crow youkai snatched up the small boy.

"Sesshomaru we have to save the kid!" She cried, hooking the bow on her shoulder with the quiver of arrows. She heard a distinctive _hn_ from the demon lord and she readied herself as he swooped down, claws ready for an attack.

Sesshomaru looked down at Kagome's words. Why save the child when they had more pressing matters to attend to? He did not understand the importance of saving one meager life. They were nearly on top of the nuisance youkai now and he had little time to think on the matter before the miko jumped from the cloud and grabbed the child in her arms. The _Shibagarasu_ let out a reptilian hiss and it was jerked down violently by the additional weight. Seeing his opening, Sesshomaru let loose his whip, the concentrated youkai hitting the mongrel on its back, the impact leaving it in pieces.

Kagome hugged the child to her as they hit the ground, protecting the little boy's head from the impact. She pushed herself to sit as best as she could. She quickly checked to ensure the crying child was not seriously hurt.

"Are you alright?" A nod from the child sent a chill of relief through her body and she pulls herself up to her feet just as the boy's mother runs up to them, dropping to her knees in front of the terrified boy. Upon seeing the chunks of _Shibagarasu_ scattered all over she cheered for their victory, the sound falling short when the pieces begin to shiver and gather once more just as the pieces had done before with the mistress centipede. She could not let the youkai regain it's form again, she refused to mess up any further.

Movement at the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned to see the crow's foot twitching violently on the ground. She suddenly gets an idea, praying that it works as she snatches up the foot. Fight the repulsive chill that wracked her petite form, she quickly ties the foot to one of her arrows with the scarf of her uniform. By now the _Shibagarasu_ was retreating, trying to get as far away from them as quickly as possible. It was gaining distance fast.

Cursing, she notched the rigged arrow, training it on the retreating bird. She could vaguely hear Sesshomaru's irritated words, but she didn't hear what he was saying. Taking in a deep breath she readied herself.

"Please!" She called up to the heavens as she released the arrow, praying that it hit its mark this time. T

Sesshomaru watched as the arrow sailed through the air, his eyes widening a fraction when he saw the foot tied to it. The little miko was clever, he would give her that. He did not expect a light to erupt from the _Shibagarasu_ when the arrow hit its mark, however. No sooner had the arrow hit the youkai, had a bright, blinding, light begin to seep from where the arrow had penetrated its flesh. The light quickly grew brighter and brighter before it dimmed the very sky around them as it blazed as bright as the sun itself.

From the ball of light burst forth hundreds of small, glittering lights that scattered miles and miles away. Something did not sit right with Kagome; something about the lights just felt off to her. She had her arm over her eyes to shield them from the blinding rays.

Back in Kaede's village, the old miko was watching those very lights shoot across the slate blue sky. Discontent settled like a heavy stone in her belly.

"This….Isn't good." She groused.

About an hour later saw Kagome and Sesshomaru sitting in Kaede's hut, the demon lord glaring down at a very shamed looking teenager.

"Miko…?" He asked, his voice terse. "Tell me. What possessed you to shatter the Shikon Jewel…?"

Kagome's head whipped up in his direction, leveling him with her own glare, "Now listen here!" She shrieked. "It's not like I _meant_ to do it! I was just trying to make sure that the yokai didn't get away with it!"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "Yes, you most certainly ensured that."

Kagome's glare intensified. Perhap's she could force feed the jerk chocolate to teach him a lesson in manners. No. Bad Kagome. Sesshomaru was possibly the only person- er- yokai that could protect her from the other monsters. Reigning in her own temper, she looked away from Sesshomaru in favor of examining the tiny shard of the jewel. Kaede picked that moment to intervene, clearing her throat.

"Ye two will need to set aside whatever differences you have now. Even though the jewel is no longer whole, a single shard still has the power to grant one yokai an exponential amount of power." She said as she stoked the fire in the hearth. Kagome shifted uncomfortably in her seat

"How many do you think there are?" She asked, dreading what the old miko would say. She wanted to go home, not hunt down the shards of some jewel that could potentially get her killed! She felt her shoulders sag when the old miko shook her head.

"There could be ten or hundreds. There is no telling how many shards scattered throughout the land." Great. Lovely. Just what they wanted to hear. So she was saying it was up to them to do it? They were expected to travel across the land? Both Kagome and Sesshomaru could feel a collective headache coming on as the old miko's words sunk it….


End file.
